Immunohistochemical assessment of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) expression in the pancreas of patients with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes Obes Metab. 2017 May;19(5):705-712. doi: 10.1111/dom.12879. Epub 2017 Mar 10.

Abstract

Aims: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin hormone which stimulates insulin release and inhibits glucagon secretion from the pancreas in a glucose-dependent manner. Incretin-based therapies, consisting of GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, are used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D). Immunohistochemical studies for GLP-1R expression have been hampered previously by the use of unspecific polyclonal antibodies. This study aimed to assess the expression levels of GLP-1R in a set of T2D donor samples obtained via nPOD.

Methods: This study used a new monoclonal antibody to assess GLP-1R expression in pancreatic tissue from 23 patients with T2D, including 7 with a DPP-4 inhibitor and 1 with a history of GLP-1R agonist treatment. A software-based automated image analysis algorithm was used for quantitating intensities and area fractions of GLP-1R positive compartments.

Results: The highest intensity GLP-1R immunostaining was seen in beta-cells in islets (average signal intensity, 76.1 [±8.1]). GLP-1R/insulin double-labelled single cells or small clusters of cells were also frequently located within or in close vicinity of ductal epithelium in all samples and with the same GLP-1R immunostaining intensity as found in beta-cells in islets. In the exocrine pancreas a large proportion of acinar cells expressed GLP-1R with a 3-fold lower intensity of immunoreactivity as compared to beta-cells (average signal intensity 25.5 [±3,3]). Our studies did not unequivocally demonstrate GLP-1R immunoreactivity on normal-appearing ductal epithelium. Pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs; a form of non-invasive pancreatic ductular neoplasia) was seen in most samples, and a minority of these expressed low levels of GLP-1R.

Conclusion: These data confirm the ubiquity of early stage PanIN lesions in patients with T2D and do not support the hypothesis that incretin-based therapies are associated with progression towards the more advanced stage PanIN lesions.

Keywords: GLP-1; incretin; liraglutide; type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Biomarkers / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology
  • Female
  • Glucagon / metabolism
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / agonists
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Incretins / therapeutic use
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / drug effects
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / metabolism*
  • Insulin-Secreting Cells / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pancreas / drug effects
  • Pancreas / metabolism*
  • Pancreas / pathology
  • Tissue Banks
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Biomarkers
  • GLP1R protein, human
  • Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Incretins
  • Insulin
  • Glucagon